Woman rushed to emergency room for stomach pain, told by doctors she's 'about to give birth'

Hattie Sheppard, 21, a British student traveling in Australia, experienced a huge shock after being rushed to the hospital for stomach pain and told she was in labor, about to give birth.

According to the NY Post on 13/2, Hattie and her boyfriend Bailey Cheadle, 22, were on a six-month trip along Australia's east coast. The couple enjoyed lively beach parties and boat excursions in 7/2025.

At that time, Sheppard began feeling unwell. Initially, she thought the abdominal cramps were due to a common stomach infection. After taking two paracetamol tablets, her symptoms did not improve but worsened, with severe pain in her right abdomen. Fearing appendicitis, the student immediately went to the hospital.

Hattie, her boyfriend Bailey, and their daughter, Isla-Grace. Photo: Kennedy News and Media.

There, after an ultrasound, doctors discovered the true cause of her painful contractions: Hattie was in labor. "I remember when the doctor was doing the ultrasound, I looked at his face and saw a look of confusion I'd never seen before," Sheppard recounted. "When I asked what was wrong, the doctor said there was a baby in my belly. I thought this was impossible because I was still on daily birth control. But he confirmed: 'No, the baby is coming, you are in labor'".

Sheppard said she initially didn't believe it and described the situation as "the most shocking and terrifying experience" of her life. Despite the psychological shock, the young woman, who wore only size S and had no pregnancy symptoms, gave birth to a baby girl, Isla-Grace Cheadle, just 10 hours later.

Doctors explained that Hattie was unaware of her pregnancy because her placenta was anterior, preventing her from feeling fetal movements. According to The Sun, baby Isla-Grace also developed close to her spine, meaning the young mother didn't show a baby bump. This phenomenon is medically known as cryptic pregnancy. According to a report in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the rate of women unaware of their pregnancy can be as high as 1 in 475 cases.

Additionally, Hattie suffers from Graves' disease (Basedow), an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland (causing hyperthyroidism), leading to symptoms like dizziness, weight loss, and fatigue. In some cases, this condition can also make conception difficult. "This disease makes it very hard for me to gain weight. At the time, I had just had my medication dosage increased and thought the treatment was working well," Sheppard explained about her slight weight gain. "I was previously underweight, so I had been trying to eat healthily and go to the gym to improve my physique. Therefore, I thought the weight gain was the result of my personal efforts."

Unaware of her pregnancy, Sheppard maintained an adventurous lifestyle. Just a few months before giving birth, she participated in thrill rides, vigorous activities like jumping from a boat into the water, and consumed alcoholic beverages at her 21st birthday party and on New Year's Eve. Photos taken on the night of 31/12/2024 showed Sheppard wearing tight clothing, with no signs of a "baby bump" whatsoever.

The young parents are now preparing to return home to Doncaster, England. They admit their trip to Australia brought more than just memories. "Honestly, I couldn't be happier. This is the strangest thing that could happen, but now it feels completely normal," Sheppard shared.